Hay vs. Silage: Which One Is Better?

 

Some say hay, others don’t say ho, but Silage for Animals. Since the creation of silage, people have been arguing about which one of the feeds is better? You see, when it’s about food, like most other things in life, the natural, the better. What you feed your cattle has a direct effect on health and the byproduct.

You commonly have a few options to feed your livestock. One of those options is Sugarcane Silage Punjab. Silage is a preserved pasture that allows you to provide your cattle continuously when grazing is not an option. So, why is silage becoming popular over the years? And, how does it compare to hay? As Silage Agro, Punjab Silage Private Limited will discuss it today.

What is Hay?

Hay is grass, herbs, or other herbaceous plants that we cut and dry to store as animal fodder, commonly for grazing animals. Of course, we raise livestock, such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep. But we can also feed it to smaller domestic animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs. 

What is Silage?

Simply put, silage is pickled pasture or fodder that we fermented to feed cattle or sheep during dry and drought seasons. We at Silage Agro use crops such as corn, sugarcane, and wheat, cut, ferment, and compress these crops until feed-out

Why do farmers make Silage?

The process of making silage is much more complex than simply cutting and drying hay, which leads us to the question, why should you make silage? What are its benefits?

We store silage using a handful of moisture, preserving a better percentage of nutrients than a dry storage option. But, you should remember that the silage-making process doesn’t add any nutrients, but it works well in storing existing nutrients. Therefore, it helps your cattle and sheep stay healthy and robust during dry seasons in general.

In addition, the essentiality of silage is in its energy. Therefore, it frequently works like a high-energy supply of animals such as cows. Fortunately, a little silage goes a long way. Consequently, it makes it an excellent choice for baby-feeding dairy animals.   

Silage vs. Hay: the discussion

Both silage and hay are well-known products for you to feed your cattle, especially during winter when cattle don’t have the option of grazing. Both are made up of grass, and we consider both as a way to preserve forage.

However, despite underlying similarities, there are significant differences between the two. The general difference between hay and silage is that hay is cut and dried grass that we use as fodder. On the other hand, silage is fermented and stored in a bunker before use as feed. Here are some more differences between both.

●       Hay has a moisture content of approx. 12% and silage’s moisture content is between 40-60%, meaning it stores more nutrients.

●       Hay is mowed, dried, and stored in bales, while silage is tightened in air-dried conditions without drying, meaning that the latter will last longer.

●       Animals do not digest hay but easily digest silage, offering more nutrition.

●       Hay is stored in a bale, while Corn Silage Bales are covered with air-tight plastic wrap, which makes silage smell fresh.

●       Plus, who doesn’t want to feed on excellent smelling silage, which tastes like heaven?